Grace
Grace = “graciousness (as gratifying), of
manner or act (abstract or concrete, literal, figurative, or spiritual; especially
the divine influence upon the heart, & its reflection in the life;
including gratitude): - acceptable,
benefit, favor, gift, grace (-ious), joy, liberality, pleasure, thank (-s,
-worthy)
Sole NT exception = “grace” = “comeliness, goodly
appearance” = James 1:11 – “For no sooner has the sun risen with a
burning heat than it withers the grass; its flower falls, and its beautiful appearance [KJV= “the
grace of the fashion of it”] perishes. So the rich man also will fade
away in his pursuits.”
God’s grace enjoyed by -
Noah - Genesis 6:8 – “But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD.”
Moses – Exodus 33:12, 13, 16, 17
A remnant of the Jews - Ezra
9:8 - "And now for a little while grace
has been shown from the LORD our God, to leave us a remnant to escape,
and to give us a peg in His holy place, that our God may enlighten our eyes and
give us a measure of revival in our bondage.”
The apostles - Acts 4:33 – “And with great power the apostles gave
witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And great grace was upon them
all.”
Paul
– 1 Corinthians
15:10; Galatians 1:15 & 2:9; Ephesians
3:1-9
Timothy
– 2 Timothy 2:1 – “You therefore, my son, be strong in the
grace that is in Christ Jesus.”
“Blessing” brethren with God’s grace
Romans 1:7 & 16:20, 24
1 Corinthians 1:1
& 16:23
2 Corinthians 1:2
& 13:14
Galatians 1:1
& 6:18
Ephesians 1:2, 6-7
& 6:24
Philippians 1:2
& 4:23
Colossians 1:2
& 4:18
1 Thessalonians
1:1 & 5:28
2 Thessalonians
1:2 & 3:18
1 Timothy 1:1
& 6:21
2 Timothy 1:2
& 4:22
Titus 1:4 & 3:15
Philemon 3 &
25
Hebrews 13:25
1 Peter 1:2
2 Peter 1:2
2 John 1:3
Revelation 1:4
& 22:21
Commonly used passages
Romans 6:1 – “What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that
grace may abound?”
2 Corinthians 12:9 – “And He said to me, ‘My grace is
sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore
most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may
rest upon me.”
Hebrews 4:16 – “Let us therefore come boldly to the
throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of
need.”
James 4:6 (1 Peter 5:5 – Proverbs 3:34) – “But He gives more grace. Therefore He says: ‘God resists the
proud, But gives grace to the humble.’"
2 Peter 3:18 – “…but grow in the grace and knowledge of
our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and
forever. Amen.”
“The
word of His grace”
Acts 14:3 – “Therefore they stayed there a long time, speaking boldly
in the Lord, who was bearing witness to the word of His grace, granting
signs and wonders to be done by their hands.”
Acts 20:32 - "So now, brethren, I commend you
to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up and give you
an inheritance among all those who are sanctified.”
See also Colossians 3:16 – “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all
wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs,
singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.”
And Acts 20:24 - "But none of these things move me; nor do I count my
life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy, and the ministry
which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace
of God.”
Jesus’ sacrifice = supreme manifestation of
God’s grace
2 Corinthians 8:9 - “For you know the grace of our Lord
Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor,
that you through His poverty might become rich.”
Galatians 2:21 - "I do not set aside the grace of
God; for if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ
died in vain."
Galatians 5:4 – “You have become estranged from
Christ, you who attempt to be justified by law; you have fallen from
grace.”
Hebrews 2:9 – “But we see Jesus, who was made a
little lower than the angels, for the suffering of death crowned with glory
and honor, that He, by the grace of God, might taste death for everyone.”
1 Peter 1:3-16
(especially notice verses 10 & 13)
See
also 1 Corinthians 1:4 – “I thank my God always concerning you for
the grace of God which was given to you by Christ Jesus,…”
Justification by God’s grace
Romans 3:24 – “…being justified freely by His grace
through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,…”
Titus 2:10 – “…not pilfering, but showing all good
fidelity, that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior in all things.
11 For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men,
12 teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should
live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age,…”
Titus 3:7 – “…that having been justified by His grace we should
become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.”
Reflection of grace in life of a Christian
Benevolence
2 Corinthians 8:1 – “Moreover, brethren, we make known to
you the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia: 2 that in a great trial of
affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded in the
riches of their liberality. 3 For I bear witness that according to their
ability, yes, and beyond their ability, they were freely
willing, 4 imploring us with much urgency that we would receive the
gift and the fellowship of the ministering to the saints. 5 And not only
as we had hoped, but they first gave themselves to the Lord, and then to
us by the will of God. 6 So we urged Titus, that as he had
begun, so he would also complete this grace in you as well. 7 But as
you abound in everything -- in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in all
diligence, and in your love for us -- see that you abound in this grace
also.”
2 Corinthians 9:8 – “And God is able to make all
grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things,
may have an abundance for every good work.”
Godly behavior
2 Corinthians 1:12 – “For our boasting is this: the testimony
of our conscience that we conducted ourselves in the world in simplicity and
godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom but by the grace of God,
and more abundantly toward you.”
Ephesians 4:29 – “Let no corrupt word proceed out of your
mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace
to the hearers.”
Colossians 4:6 – “Let your speech always be
with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to
answer each one.”
Hebrews 12:28 – “Therefore, since we are receiving a
kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God
acceptably with reverence and godly fear.”
In conclusion - other passages about the grace
of God
John 1:14 – “And the Word became flesh and dwelt
among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the
Father, full of grace and truth. 15 John bore witness of Him and
cried out, saying, "This was He of whom I said, 'He who comes after me is
preferred before me, for He was before me.' " 16 And of His
fullness we have all received, and grace for grace. 17 For the law
was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.”
Acts 13:43 – “Now when the congregation had broken up,
many of the Jews and devout proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas, who,
speaking to them, persuaded them to continue in the grace of God.”
Acts 15:11 - "But we believe that through the
grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved in the same manner as
they."
Romans 5:2 – “…through whom also we have access by faith into this
grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.”